title: Psychological factors predicting stress symptoms: metacognition, thought control, and varieties of worry.
abstract: This study tested predictions of the metacognitive model of post-traumatic stress disorder (Wells, 2000) concerning relationships between stress symptoms and maladaptive control of thoughts. We tested the hypothesis that the tendency to use worry as a means of controlling thoughts will be positively predictive of stress symptoms. In doing so, overlaps with symptomatic worry, stress symptoms, and stress exposure at time 1 was controlled. One hundred and ten (110) college students were assessed twice, over a three-month period. Consistent with predictions, use of worry as a thought control strategy made a significant and independent contribution to the prediction of stress symptoms. The findings provide further support for Wells' metacognitive model of stress reactions.
authors.affiliation: Academic Division of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roussis
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D006113:United Kingdom